EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD 1151 PM EST WED JAN 15 2014 VALID 12Z SUN JAN 19 2014 - 12Z THU JAN 23 2014 THE EUROPEAN CENTRE ENSEMBLE MEANS CONTINUE TO AFFORD THE STRONGEST FORECAST CONTINUITY THROUGH THE UPCOMING MERIDIONAL EVENT AT THE MEDIUM RANGE. THE 12Z/15 ECMWF WAS CORRELATED WITH ITS ATTENDANT MEAN CLOSELY ENOUGH THROUGH DAY 5 TO USE AS A TEMPLATE FOR THE FRONTS AND PRESSURES ACROSS THE NATION, WITH A SWITCH TO PURE MEAN BY DAY 7 WHEN THE DETERMINISTIC SPREAD GOES WIDE. THE PATTERN IS A DRY ONE, WITH A FULL-LATITUDE RIDGE HOLDING SWAY OVER THE WEST, AND A BROAD TROUGH OVER THE EAST. THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF ROOM FOR MORE AMPLIFICATION OF ANY GIVEN SHORTWAVE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE NATION, WHICH WOULD NOT ONLY DRAW DOWN A DEEPER LAYER CHUNK OF ARCTIC AIR, BUT ALSO BACK THE FLOW TO AN EXTENT SUFFICIENT TO TAP SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE FROM EITHER THE GULF OF MEXICO OR THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. AT THIS POINT, THE BEST BET FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW IS OVER THE HUDSON VALLEY AND NEW ENGLAND DAYS 6 AND 7. CISCO